May 31 – Your Purpose Beyond the Battlefield

 Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

SITREP:
Have you ever wondered if there's still a mission for you now that the battlefield is behind you? Ephesians 2:10 answers that question with a resounding yes. You weren’t just saved—you were repurposed. No matter what your past looks like, God isn’t finished with you. In fact, He’s just getting started.

This verse comes after Paul explains one of the clearest truths of the gospel: we are saved by grace, not by works. But grace doesn’t just rescue—it redeploys. It takes a wounded warrior and commissions him again, not for destruction, but for building, healing, and leading others into hope.

Breaking Down the Verse:

• “For we are God’s handiwork” – You are not a product of chance or damage. You’re a masterpiece. The Greek word used here is poiēma—where we get “poem.” You are something God crafted with intentionality, even the parts of your story that are hard to look at.
• “Created in Christ Jesus” – Your true identity isn’t in your rank, your record, or your regrets. It’s in Christ. And if you belong to Him, you are no longer defined by your past—you are defined by His sacrifice.
• “To do good works” – You weren’t saved to sit still. There’s a mission for you. One that uses your story, your pain, your endurance, and your faith to help others find their way home too.
• “Which God prepared in advance for us to do” – None of it is random. The things you’ve survived, the burdens you’ve carried, the moments that tried to break you—God is weaving all of that into a purpose He planned before you even took your first breath.

How This Reclaims a Soldier’s Faith:

You may carry scars the world can’t see. Maybe you’ve questioned what’s left for you now—after the deployments, after the loss, after everything changed. Maybe you’ve thought, “That part of me is done.”

But here’s what God says:

• “You’re still on mission.”
• “You’re still My handiwork.”
• “And I’ve already lined up the good works that I want to do through you.”

Maybe your calling now is to lead your family with a steady hand. Maybe it’s to mentor younger warriors coming home. Maybe it’s simply to live healed—because someone else needs to see that it’s possible.

You’re not washed up. You’re not forgotten. You’re not benched. You’re reassigned—to a new battlefield with eternal objectives.

ENDEX:
You weren’t just rescued—you were repurposed. Ephesians 2:10 is your standing order to move forward, not as who you were, but as who you’ve become in Christ. You are God’s masterpiece. The mission isn’t over—it’s shifting. So gear up. Step out. Walk in the good works He prepared just for you.

AAR (After Action Review):
Have you seen how God is using your past for a new purpose? Share how He’s turning your pain into something powerful. Someone else might be waiting to hear that their next chapter can still be written. Your story might be the encouragement they need to stay in the fight.

Make your voice count—share what you’ve lived.

Share your experiences in the comments below. Your words could encourage someone else walking a similar path.

If you're comfortable, include as much or as little personal detail as you’d like. We suggest:

• Name
• Veteran, Retired, Family Member etc.
• Service Branch
• Years of Service (or Deployment Dates and Locations)

Every story matters—and yours might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.